Binder and briquette and process of producing same



Patented July 26, 1932 PATENT oar-act:

ROBERT E. WILLARD, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA, ASSIGNOR TO THE BRIQUET ENGINEERING COMPANY, "OF (MINNEAPOLIS, "MINNESOTA, A CORPORATION OF ..DELAWARE BINDER .AND..BRIQUETTE AND PROCESS'OFIR-ODUCING SAME No "Drawing;

This invention :relates to the' making first, on ant improverl 'briquette binder; and. second, to the making of an improved briquette, and the invention: includes rnot only the said .ma-

terials .as .new articles of manufacture but than that which will carry off the volatile substances of the coal, and subsequently forming the briquette under high compression.

In practice, I havefound that when approximately twenty per cent of ground sulphur is added to asphalt having a melting point of 185 F., the melting point of the mixture is reduced from 185 to approximately 152 F.; that the temperature at which the binder volatiles are released is reduced about twenty-five per cent; and that the elasticity of the binder is increased about one hundred per cent. This percentage of change holds good with a sulphur content of from ten to twenty per cent. Also I have found that the sulphur thus added to the asphalt causes certain chemical reactions that materially alter the characteristics of the asphalt and produce a binder with all of the qualities required in an efiicient briquette binder and make possible a superior briquette.

It is a recognized fact that a certain portion of the sulphur is absorbed into the molecules of the asphalt and is given off in the form of gas at a temperature under the temperature required to distill the coal of the briquette, but the exact nature of the chemical actions that take place I have not been able to determine at the present time. The sulphur seems to act as a catalyst which causes the production of a superior briquette binder by causing chemical reactions or physical changes into which the sulphur does not directly enter.

The following is one example of an effi- 1-929. .SeriaIJNo. 373,057.

cient way that I have, in practice practioally carried out my invention.

In preparing the binder, eighty fiveparts ofst-andard grade binder asphalthaving .a melting point of 185 I 1, was heated .to a temperature of approximately 200-F.,- and to this was added fifteenpartsofground sulphur, the liquid being then thoroughly commingled and aerated. .Virginia .anthracite coal mined from the Langhorne seam .near Pulaski, Virginia, which hasta volatile content of about eleven per 'cent,-was:.gr.ound to pass .a sixteen rmesh *screen ,and was raised tea temperature of approximately 450 .F. To approximately ninetyfive partsotthis ground coal cooled. to-approximatelythe.temperature of 350 F., five parts of the. prepared binder was added while ithe temperature of the mixture avasapproximately350IF. I-The coal thoroughly mixed withthe :binder was then run -.through coolers .and the temperature .was brought .down to approximately 160 F. and at rapproximately this latter noted .temperature,2the. material was passed to the press and .the briquettes .then formed under high compression.

,Tlre briquettes 1 thus :produced were found to beof .very] high l heat+producingefficiency and having all .the qualities desirable .in superior briquettes. .These briquettes .burn practically smokeless. They form .a :hard compact coke Mat the I least .possible a temperature that .will .hold the particles of .coal .together and prevent disintegration of the briquette during'combustion. The volatiles of the binder are released at. lower temperature than .the volatile of the coal'from'which the briquettes .are made and consequently the coal "volatiles are ignited and completely consumed with elimination of: smoke. Also the-bindergives the b riquette increased, elasticity and strength which prevents breakage and deterioration of the briquette during shipment and storage. 7

I have found that the phur required .in the binder and the temperature i'll'O which. the binder niustlbe subject befone beingcommin'gled with .the coal .is governed very considerably gby the 'volatile content of the coal used rand the temperapercentage of sulture at which the volatile of the coal will be released. As a general rule, the higher the volatile content of the coal and the lower the temperature of distillation, the more sulphur and the higher temperature required to produce the binder. By heating ground coal to a temperature that just begins to soften the coal tar content, but not to a point that will carry off the volatile of the coal, I have been able to use as much as two per centless binder to produce a satisfactory briquette. The temperatures mentioned are considerably above those usually employed for producing briquettes, but I have found such temperatures desirable in carrying out my invention.

The following is an exampleof the'manner in which I have successfully carried out my invention in making briquettes from bituminous coal from Villiamson County, Illinois, which coal has a volatile content of approximately thirty-eight per cent. In preparing the binder for this type of briquette, I used seventy-five parts of standard binder asphalt having a melting point of 185 F., brought the same to a temperature of approximately 250 F., I then added twentyfive parts of ground sulphur and thoroughly agitated and mixed the same. Then to approximately ninety-three parts of said bituminous coal ground so as to pass through 16 mesh screen, I added seven parts of said binder andthoroughly commingled the same while at a temperature of approximately 300 F. The mixture was then reduced in temperature to approximately 160F. and delivered to the press for the formation of the briquette. This produced a hard waterproof briquette which during the combustion will not disintegrate and will not pro duce smoke except possibly for a few minutes during ignition and will not produce soot and will retain form until completely consumed.

The briquettes burn with a medium length bright blue-white flame.

From what has been said, it willbe understood that the temperatures required and proportions of materials will vary for different kinds of coal or briquette-producing sub stances. In a general way. I have found that the temperatures to which the ground coal should be raised before commingling the binder therewith will Vary from 200 to 450 F. and that the temperatures to which the binder should be raised before being commingled with the coal vary from 200 to 325 F.

The term ground coal is herein used to include ground lignite.

What I claim is l. The process of making briquettes which consists in mixing together liquid asphalt and sulphur and dissolving the sulphur into the asphalt and in thereafter commingling the resulting binder with ground briquette material at a temperature exceeding the melting point of the asphalt, but not high enough to carry off the volatile substance of the briquette material.

2. The process of making briquettes which consists in mixing together liquid asphalt and sulphur and dissolving the sulphur in the asphalt and in thereafter commingling the resulting binder with ground briquette material at a temperature exceeding the melting point of the asphalt, but not high enough to carry off the volatile substances of the briquette material, and in thereafter cooling the mixture to a temperature much lower than the temperature at which the binder was commingled with the briquette material and subjecting the cooled mixture to a briquette press.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ROBERT E. WILLARD. 

